Chapter 2: The Blackmail Begins

I couldn't move, couldn't speak. Caden knew. He really knew. The way he looked at me, with that lazy smile and those sharp, dark eyes, told me everything. He wasn't guessing.

He took another slow step toward me. The light from the window caught the gleam in his eyes. "Surprised, Maeve?"

I finally found my voice, but it came out as a shaky whisper. "What are you talking about? I don't know what you mean." My mind was racing, trying to find a way out, any way out. Deny it. Lie. That's all I could do.

Caden chuckled, a low, humorless sound. He stopped a few feet from me, close enough that I could feel the cold power coming off him. "Oh, I think you do. Do you really want to play this game? Because I have a video. A very clear video, Maeve. Of 'Eve' dancing at the Eclipse Club."

My stomach dropped to my feet. A video. Security footage. Of course. How else would he know? I felt sick.

"Who... who told you?" I managed, my voice still weak.

He raised an eyebrow, a hint of something like amusement in his eyes. "No one 'told' me. I saw you. Last Tuesday. I was there, in the VIP section, having a very boring night, until you walked onto the stage. It was quite a show, 'Eve'." His eyes swept over me, from my hair to my shoes, making me feel dirty, exposed.

A hot flush of shame spread through me. The idea of him, Caden Dovewood, watching me dance, was unbearable. He saw me at my lowest, doing what I had to do just to survive.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice suddenly stronger, fueled by anger and fear. "Money? Do you want me to do something for you?"

He leaned against the wall next to the closed door, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked so calm, so in control. "Money? Please. My family has more money than we know what to do with." He paused, letting his words hang in the air, twisting the knife. "No, Maeve. What I want is... interesting."

My heart pounded. "What?"

"Let's make this simple," he said, pushing off the wall and taking another step closer. I instinctively took a step back, hitting the large wardrobe behind me. I was trapped. "You have a secret. A big one. One that would certainly make your sweet mother lose her job here. The Dovewoods are very particular about who works for them, and they wouldn't like their maid's daughter earning money... like that."

The words were a hammer blow. My mom. His family would fire her. It wasn't just about my shame; it was about her livelihood, our home, everything. She was sick. She couldn't afford to lose this.

"Please," I begged, my voice cracking. "Don't tell her. Please, Caden. Don't tell my mom. She's sick. She needs this job."

He stared at me, his face showing absolutely no pity. No guilt. Nothing. Just a cold, assessing look. "Then you'll do exactly what I tell you to do."

"What do you want?" I repeated, a knot of dread tightening in my gut.

"First, you're going to clean my room," he said, glancing around the messy space. "Properly. Not like a maid, but like someone who actually cares about making it spotless."

My jaw dropped. "That's it? You want me to clean your room?"

He chuckled again, a low, unsettling sound. "That's just the start, Maeve. A test. To see if you understand your new... position." He stepped closer, until he was right in front of me. I could smell his expensive cologne, the faint scent of something like whiskey. My breath hitched. He was so tall, so close. "You see, Maeve, I own you now. Your secret is mine. And if you ever try to tell anyone, or if you don't do what I say, then everyone will know about 'Eve'. Your mother, your brother Jasper, your little friend Nova... the whole school. Understood?"

I couldn't speak, could only nod, my eyes wide with terror.

His hand reached out, so fast I didn't see it coming. His fingers curled around my chin, tilting my face up. His touch was cold, firm. My eyes darted to his, searching for anything, a hint of kindness, but there was nothing. Only that dark, unreadable stare.

"Look at me when I'm speaking to you," he murmured, his voice impossibly low.

My gaze locked with his. I hated him. I hated his arrogance, his power, his cruel control.

Then, before I could even think, his head dipped. His lips crushed against mine, hard and cold. It wasn't a kiss of passion, but of pure force. A statement. My eyes flew open, wide with shock and disgust. He held me there for a long moment, forcing my mouth against his, forcing me to feel his lips, his breath. My body screamed to pull away, but his grip on my chin was unyielding.

When he finally pulled back, he studied my face, my trembling lips, my wide, horrified eyes. There was no apology in his gaze. No remorse. Just a flicker of something that looked like… satisfaction.

He let go of my chin. My skin felt cold where he had touched me. I wanted to wipe my mouth, to scrub away the feel of him, but I couldn't move.

"Now," he said, his voice back to its casual tone, as if he hadn't just shattered my world and violated my space. "You can start with the floor. I like it sparkling." He walked past me, heading for the door, leaving me standing there, my heart pounding, my body shaking.

He paused at the door, glancing back at me. "And don't worry about my mother finding out about your little side job," he added, a cruel twist to his lips. "She won't hear it from me. Not as long as you're a good little secret keeper. Now, get to work."

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving me alone in his messy, rich room, trembling. I wanted to scream, to cry, to break something. But I couldn't. I had to clean. I had to comply. Because the alternative... losing Mom her job, destroying our family... that was even worse. My secret had become Caden's weapon, and I was utterly trapped. My stomach churned with a mixture of fear, hatred, and a confusing, horrifying awareness of his touch. This was just the beginning.